I didn't take as many photos at ASIS 2010 as I normally do. I think that means I must have been talking too much. I finally had a chance today to dig into my camera's memory card to post some pictures and explain them a little. Let's run through them:
OK, I had to start with something funny. This is a security camera "fail" in the seminar level of the convention center. The convention center's video surveillance system is woefully out of date, is clearly not being maintained, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it probably is no longer even functioning. Cases in point: There was an old bubble-style PTZ on the loading dock that was so dirty that, even if it is working, isn't going to be of much value. But this one I took a picture of, well, it's pointing at the ceiling tiles!!! I don't really know why I'm pointing this out other than to perhaps remind everyone that security cannot be treated in a "set-it-up-and-forget-about-it" manner. Any integrators reading this? If so, go put in a proposal to the Dallas Convention Center for at least some service on their existing system. Maybe that overall lack of security is why Milestone recorded a laptop robbery on the show floor after hours...
I was talking to some old-timers from ASIS who were telling me about the days when it was a small collection of 10x10 booths that you could checkout in one day's time. Today, this show is massive. Companies like Universal Safety Response (pictured above) even set up full demonstrations of heavy equipment like these vehicular controls.
Vendors will do just about anything to get you to pay attention. They have to do so; there are just so many competing products on the show floor that sometimes you need a guy in a straight jacket balancing on a rolling domino to get people's attention. That's what Vicon did, and judging by the traffic at their booth, it worked.
Panasonic was straightforward in the manner that they showcased the firm's surveillance camera product line-up. They put together this massive wall display, but that wasn't the entirety of their booth...
...Panasonic also showed vertical market solution focuses. I liked this education one. The camera (A) is used like an overhead projector to push the teacher's notes or textbook onto the (B) digital whiteboard. The teacher wears a pendant (C) around his neck, but you can only see the lanyard for the pendant in this photo. That pendant that serves as the microphone for the speaker/amplifier broadcast system (D), but the pendant can also serve as a panic button device. A good integration would mean that (A) IP PTZ camera would go to a predefined view or tour if the teacher hit the panic button -- instead of remaining focused on overhead projector materials. The video could also be sent to the command center. Nice job, Panasonic, on showing some possible integrations!
This was one of the more impressive camera installations on the show floor. What you're looking at is the Sony XI's long-range camera solution. One camera pans across a very long-range scene (think ports, wide-open perimeters, etc.) and creates a video image to be used for overall situational awarness, while the second camera is instructed using Sony's analytics to watch certain elements of great interest in that scene. This is the first time this camera solution has come to the U.S.; it uses some really sharp imaging technology that comes from Sony's broadcast film/TV division.
Sony also has a command center set up for booth visitors to get their hands on with the company's overall video solutions.
Security Technology Executive magazine's publisher/editor-in-chief Steve Lasky presents the gold award to Captain Don Farrell of the Los Angeles Port Police. The Port of LA was recognized for an innovative project that was done with the help of Verint, SAIC and NICE Systems.
That's it for the photos right now, though I have some other neat post-ASIS stuff coming. Stay tuned.
-Geoff
